Iran stops negotiations with U.S., vows to 'completely' block Strait of Hormuz: State media

[u/Agitated_Pudding7259]

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/01/iran-us-negotiations-strait-of-hormuz.html

The article says Iran announced Monday it will cut off all negotiations with the U.S. and move to fully close the Strait of Hormuz, citing Israeli military operations in Lebanon as ceasefire violations. Tehran also threatened to activate the Bab el-Mandeb Strait chokepoint connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Oil prices jumped over 7 percent on the news.

The breakdown comes just days after Trump convened a Situation Room meeting to decide on a deal but left without making a decision. Trump posted on May 23 that a peace deal was "largely negotiated" and "Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly." Both sides launched new attacks in the following days, and Israel escalated in Lebanon with Netanyahu ordering strikes on Hezbollah-controlled Beirut suburbs. Iran's foreign minister said the ceasefire applies to all fronts including Lebanon, and violations on one front constitute violations on all.

The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively choked off since the war began on February 28, with ship traffic far below the prewar level of 100+ vessels per day. About a fifth of global oil supplies passed through the strait before the conflict. Gas prices had come down some in recent weeks on deal optimism, but that appears to be evaporating. There are also concerns Iran could impose a tolling system on ships transiting the strait.

Trump posted on Truth Social that Iran "really wants to make a deal" and told critics to "just sit back and relax, it will all work out well in the end. It always does!"

If Iran really wants to make a deal why are they walking away form negotiations? If the US is winning this war, why are we suing for peace?

The answer is because Iran's strategy is working. Our president and the "secretary of war" who was confirmed by one vote are not reliable sources of information.

They have been preparing for this war for decades and they know how to win it. Choking off a fifth of global oil supply has driven U.S. gas prices up 50%, cratered Trump's approval ratings, and Republicans are openly panicking about the midterms. They know the situation trump has created is FUBAR and they know they're cooked in november. Iran doesn't need to win on the battlefield. They just need to hold out and make the economic pain unsustainable until the administration comes to terms.

[u/Early-Possibility367]

It’s fun to watch how the PR team for this Iran War is basically making all the same mistakes of the PR team for Israel.

In a lot of ways, the PR team for the Iran War has it a lot easier. Firstly, the pro Palestinian side has done a good job of keeping the times when they were the clear good side in memory (eg the Nakba). 

By the contrast, though the times of Iran being the good guys is in way more people’s living memory, it’s all but forgotten outside Iran.

Secondly, at baseline, well over 90% of Americans think Iran is evil. A supermajority of people already dislike Iran. 

However, rhetoric wise, the right has been doing everything it can to make this war unpopular as possible .

The most obvious is Trump running on “no new wars.” Trump definitely knew about Iran’s nuclear program when he ran. He could’ve chosen to be honest about his beliefs on what the US should do about it, but he didn’t. 

Secondly, the big stick the right has always used is “people who don’t support American/American allied war efforts are terrorist supporters.” And this is usually effective; see the above mentioned Israel Palestine conflict, but back to the first point, the President himself said no new wars at one point.

So, can one logically claim that it’s terrorist sympathizing to say the President should follow his own stated plan? 

And lastly, the most shocking thing from a PR point was openly saying this war was to help Israel. I don’t have an explanation for that because I can’t explain it. Even if it’s true, I have no clue why DJT didn’t go for some sort of America First explanation, even if made up.